The Day He Arrived
by LikeSynonymsForJoy
Summary: Chelsea is pleased with her friends on the island, but lacks a romantic interest. Enter Mark. I won't be turning it into a story; I lied.


I had been living on the island for a little over a year at this point. Things were falling into place, finally. I knew how to limit myself with work, and how to squeeze by on the little money I had when my crops just weren't cutting it. I'd met so many new people, even started a few strong friendships. I used to be so reclusive; this was a big thing for me. A few of them were guys, though I couldn't figure out who I liked the most. They all had their strong suits.

There was Denny, the renowned fisherman, who was so sweet and funny and always offered his vast knowledge of fish and the sea. I knew how he loved his fishing by that twinkle he always got in his eyes whenever he went on a spiel. It may have gotten old, but he had many a tale to tell me and anyone else within shouting distance of his ramshackle home. I still haven't decided if I believe every one of them, though. Some seem too far-fetched, like the one about the picture of the shark on his wall. Then there's Vaughn. Totally cold and indifferent when he first slunk onto the island, he would hardly speak to anyone, aside from an off-putting "Don't speak, you're distracting me!" in answer to any stab at a conversation. However, I kept buttering him up with chocolate and milk, trying to gain his approval. I suppose I saw something in him that needed a little prodding to make its way out. After weeks of getting yelled at for being distracting, he started holding bits of conversations, albeit still slightly rude ones. I'm still weathering through his aloof attitude, but I know one day I'll see him laugh, smile, or do something worth the effort. I can just foresee it happening. And Pierre…he's quite short, obsessed with food (seeing as he is a Gourmet), and has very childish features, but he's very kind and can hold a great conversation if you steer away from his beloved cuisine, which is a lot harder than it sounds!

I had thought things were becoming monotonous, though, after a few seasons. No newcomers had appeared for weeks, and I had met about 55 people, who I greatly liked, but I felt like I needed someone to be something more than my neighbor, more than my good friend. One day, the fifty-sixth person to move to the island came to my door at exactly six a.m., just like nearly every other person I'd had yet to meet. I always greeted them groggily, but they never seemed to care about my disheveled hair or ratty night clothes.

He opened the door and introduced himself as Mark. He was by himself, which in itself wasn't unusual….and he just happened to be strikingly handsome. I had a friend back in the city who would have described him as "yummy", but I have more dignity than that. His features were childish, but not in the same way as Pierre's.

The minute I opened the door, he exuded such confidence and kindness that it seemed to fill up my tiny house when he strolled in. He didn't act uncomfortable in the least bit. I instantly pegged him as a happy-go-lucky, optimistic type the minute he began speaking. He had lovely, deep green eyes that sparkled when he spoke, and a very infectious smile. I'm not what you would consider a morning person, but with every wide grin of his, I found myself smiling along with him. He also had this huge shock of wheat colored hair sticking messily out of his hat that struck me as jaunty, not sloppy. Transfixed with his hair, I didn't hear a word he said to me. I flushed, feeling rude for making him repeat himself.

With one last smile, he left, and the monotony seemed to dissipate. I thought of him in short spurts every few minutes throughout the rest of the day, as ridiculous as it was. I decided I would include him in the loop I walked each day to greet and converse with my friends. I don't know what it was about him...his eyes, that smile, his hair, or what that drew me in, but something about him just attracted me. And lo and behold, I found myself with a silly crush, just like a middle schooler who had just met the cool new kid in her class. It gave me a sense of closure and security, though I couldn't tell you why. Maybe it was knowing that I had something to look forward to, aside from outrageous tales, new food to sample, or more biting comments from Vaughn that felt like slaps in the face. Now, whether I liked it or not, I had a visit to Mark to anticipate each day…and truth be told, I couldn't wait to get to know him.


End file.
